Membrane Distillation Apparatus and Methods

Abstract

Membranes for membrane distillation include at least one hollow fiber porous hydrophobic membrane, the at least one membrane including carbon nanotubes incorporated into the pore structure of the membrane. Membrane distillation systems may include a heat exchanger operably connected to a hollow fiber membrane module with one or more membranes including carbon nanotubes. Methods of solvent removal, sample preconcentration and desalination employing hollow fiber porous hydrophobic membranes with carbon nanotubes are disclosed.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S)[0001]This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61 / 323,860 filed Apr. 13, 2010, the entirety of which is incorporated herein by reference.FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0002]The present invention relates to membrane distillation and in particular to carbon nanotube enhanced membrane distillation apparatus and methods.BACKGROUND[0003]There has been significant interest in using membranes separation for both industrial scale processes and the preparation of analytical samples. In part, this is due to the fact that membranes facilitate extraction and separation without allowing the mixing of two phases. Membrane distillation (MD) is a low temperature (60-90° C.) distillation process that has been used in diverse applications ranging from water desalination to concentration of fruit juice and sucrose. Conventional distillation relies strictly on thermal vaporization, whereas in MD the water vapors are selectively tran...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0006]The present inventors have found that incorporating CNTs into the structure of a hollow fiber polymeric membrane provides unexpectedly enhanced membrane distillation (MD). This is applicable to a wide range of membranes that may be flat, porous, nonporou

Problems solved by technology

In part, this is due to the fact that membranes facilitate extraction and separation without allowing the mixing of two phases.

However, the hot solution has a high vapor pressure and MD relies on the net flux of water vapor from the warm side of the membrane to the cool side.

Analytical

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